Covers that Grab You: Jacob's Picks

Covers, despite the old adage, "don't judge a book by its cover," are an extremely important aspect of publishing in any format. If someone doesn't like the cover, they are less likely to pick up the book off the shelf or click the buy button on Amazon and other online retailers. Below are my three covers that I feel are Great and grab my attention:

Abney Park's THE WRATH OF FATE, by Robert Brown, has a detailed and interesting cover. It gives you a feel for what you are going to expect in the book and uses catchy imagery with well colored images. I saw this cover and thought, this book looks like it would be an exciting adventure.

LOCUS ORIGIN, by Christian Matari, spells out from the start what genre it is. I can tell in less than a second, I'm dealing with a Science Fiction story. The images are of great detail and quality that makes me want to know more about the future of mankind.

A MINOR MAGIC, by Justin Macumber, has a great, visually appealing cover. The vibrant color of the females hair clashes with the bright blue of the title. These two vibrant colors then overlay the stark grays of the background. The cover uses great use of white space. Also, the images give you a hint of what the book will about. You know, here, that there is more than likely going to be a fantasy element. 

Writing Tips: Genre's Effect On Your Story

By Jacob Donley

What is the importance of genre when it comes to your writing? It kind of depends on your take on writing. Do you have the genre already established when you sit down to write? I normally do have a genre in mind when the story planning stage begins. While I think it is important to establish genre early, it isn't a writing law to do so.

Knowing the genre up front provides you with guidelines to the story you’re writing. Fantasy has some rules that normally are followed within its boundaries. Romance has rules that make it romance. Each genre has some sort of rule or rules that define it as a specific genre. The rules are there for a reason and help readers to correspond your story to that genre. However, it is important to understand that some rules can be broken if you understand what the rules are and how they work.

Some writer’s simply start typing and let the story decide the genre. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s a more all-natural form of genre forming. Often, this can lead to mixed-genres and broken ‘rules’, and like I said earlier, there is nothing inherently wrong with that. If you are the type of person that just writes and lets the genre form naturally through the story, then stick with that. I would, however, try writing a few stories with a genre already firmly embedded in your mind. It will help you understand and perfect your knowledge of the genre and allow you to shape it more effectively in the future.

Genre can be your friend. Reading books from all sorts of different genres can help you to understand the function and form how they work internally. Different genres you story forms for different purposes, it can help you to adopt genre rules when it looks like that form would work well in your story.

Featured Author: Philippa Ballantine

By Jacob Donley

I first heard of author Philippa Ballantine, Pip, on the Dead Robots’ Society podcast when she was a guest on an episode about steampunk. Her and her husband Tee Morris, coauthor in the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series, had a great and humorous conversation the DRS crew. Since then, I’ve had the pleasure of listening to Pip and Tee’s own podcast, the Shared Desk. They are riot and I couldn’t resist asking Pip for an interview.

[FFQ] Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

[PB] I am a fantasy and steampunk writer born and bred in Wellington, New Zealand, but now married to my co-author Tee Morris and living in Manassas, Virginia. Before becoming a full time writer in 2010, I was a librarian for thirteen years. So I am addicted to the smell of old books. Oh yes, and we have a clower of four cats who try to sleep on my keyboard when I am writing.

[FFQ] When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

[PB] As soon as I finished reading all the books my Dad had, I knew I had set about writing my own. That was when I was thirteen, and one of my old school mates who I recently reconnected with on Facebook told me she remembers me hauling around this green hardback journal which I was always scribbling in. It did pay off in the end though!

[FFQ] What inspired you to write your first book?

[PB] Just a love of story, and a desire to see what I could do. Fantasy is full of some many wondrous possibilities! All sorts of writers like Tolkien, Andre Norton, Anne McCaffrey and C J Cherryh inspired me to try it myself.

[FFQ] Can you share a little of your current work with us?

[PB] I just handed in Harbinger which is the fourth (and final) book in the Books of the Orders. It is a series set in a fantasy world where the unliving are constantly trying to attack humanity, and the Deacons of the Order are the only ones who can stop them. Now that's done I'll be turning to edits on the second book in the Shifted World series, Kindred and Wings. It's also epic fantasy, but in quite a different world. It's about redemption, and how far you can fall before you can come back.

[FFQ] What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

[PB] Editing is always a surprising process. I've learned to love it—though my very first professional edit I broke down in tears! Editors I've found usually tell you the flaws in your story that you already know where there. In that way it's a bit like having a Jiminy Cricket on your shoulder. Usually they end up telling you flaws in your writing that you already kind of knew deep down.

[FFQ] Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?

[PB] Just it took awhile. I secured my agent, Laurie McLean in 2006, and together we worked on the book (which got eventually published this year, Hunter and Fox). The interesting thing is that it wasn't that book that sold, but the second one I wrote in another series. Geist was written in 2007 and published in 2010. I'm not a person that is usually patient, but I have had to learn to be in this business.

[FFQ] How do you market your work? What avenues have you found to work best for your genre?

[PB] I'm a podcaster. I have podcast in their entirety four books, and I've been doing that since 2006. Over the years I have added other social media to my arsenal. I have a group page on Facebook, and Tee Morris and I recently started a Facebook page for the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences steampunk series. I tweet at PhilippaJane, and our main characters from the Ministry tweet as BooksandBraun. We also blog on our website for the Ministry at MinistryofPeculiarOccurrences.com  and I have my personal blog at pjballantine.com



[FFQ] Who designed the covers?

[PB] I've been very lucky with my covers. The books with Ace covers were all done by the awesome Jason Chan http://jasonchanart.com/ . I've just seen the cover of the last book Harbinger, and he's done his best work I think. The covers I've had for Pyr have also been beautiful pieces of art. Cynthia Sheppard really captures the beauty of my scary horse, and in the second book my scary dragon! http://sheppard-arts.com/   Finally, the Ministry book covers were all done in house by their art team. My particular favorite is the Janus Affair.

[FFQ] Can you tell us about any upcoming titles?

[PB] 2013 is going to be busy. I have Kindred and Wings, coming out with Pyr in the summer, but also Harbinger with Ace, and a novella in a steampunk anthology Clockwork Fairytales; A Collection of Steampunk Fables. The third book of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences we don't yet have a firm publication date on, but we are hoping the end of 2013.

[FFQ] Are there any new authors that have caught your interest?

[PB] I just finished a novel by Ripley Patton. It was a really good YA title about a girl who can pick pocket people's souls. It's called Ghost Hand . I really enjoyed her main character, and she had a really good grasp of life inside a teenagers head. Highly recommended for her fast pace and interesting.

[FFQ] Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

[PB] Do not give up. Every word you write, every criticism you receive, every rejection that comes your way is making you a better writer. The more words you write the better you are going to get. Just know if you want to be a professional writer then you have to know it is going to be more of a marathon than a sprint.

[FFQ] Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

[PB] If you've never given steampunk a chance, I hope you'll join us at the Ministry. Or if fantasy is not your thing, let me show you a couple of complex, powerful women who might change your mind in Geist and Hunter and Fox.


Author: Geist, Spectyr , Wrayth  and Harbinger (2013) from Ace Books and Hunter and Fox  and Kindred and Wings (2013) from Pyr Books

Co-author (with Tee Morris) of Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences — an Airship Award winning steampunk series. Novels: Phoenix Rising and the Janus Affair . Also includes digital short stories  and a free award winning podcast series .

Fiction Features: Anti-heroes

By Jacob Donley

Anti-heroes provide an alternative to the run of the mill heroes in fiction. While your typical hero grows and changes throughout the course of the story, anti-heroes are flawed, and the flaws are usually permanent within the story. Anti-heroes are usually defined by their flaws while the typical hero must overcome their flaws. The anti-hero provides a hero that can overcome obstacles in their story by means that would typically demean or lower the status of a regular hero. It allows the anti-hero to straddle the line that separates the light from the darkside. Riddick, in the movie Pitch Black, is a perfect example of an anti-hero. An imperfect hero is always more interesting, add the hero that has a far more loose moral compass, and you have a hero that possibly has no barriers to prevent him from succeeding.

Anti-heroes are always more fun.

Book Reviews: Trompe l'Oeil by Caroline Miller

By Jacob Donley

Trompe l'Oeil by Caroline Miller

TROMPE' L'OEIL is the story of young American scholar, Rachel, that comes to France to write the history of a locally famous chateau. After the death of the mistress, Rachel is confronted with mystery, intrigue, and a touch of the supernatural. Caroline Miller has produced a work with characters that draw you into the story. Also, she keeps you guessing about what is REALLY going on at the chateau. Though this type of work isn't my normal read, I enjoyed it from cover to cover. I would recommend TROMPE' L'OEIL to anyone that enjoys a good character driven mystery.

Book Reviews: Lichgates by S.M. Boyce

By Jacob Donley

Lichgates by S.M. Boyce

S.M. Boyce has created a series that knocks your socks off from beginning to end. LICHGATES, the first book in the Grimoire Saga, takes Kara Magari and throws her smack dab in the middle of a crazy magical world as the Vagabond, the role she inherits from the original Vagabond to try to bring the civilizations of Ourea out of constant conflict with her magical book, the Grimoire. This book has towering highs and dreadful lows that pull you from chapter to chapter. This YA book is one that I would highly recommend to any fantasy reader that enjoys strong characters and plenty of magic.

Author Interviews: John Lenahan

By Jacob Donley

John Lenahan began his career as a magician before tipping his hand into the writing arena. His series, Shadowmagic, has shown increasing popularity. John’s use of the Celtic myths, legends, and heroes is imaginative and fun for readers of all ages.

I had the opportunity to interview John.

[FFQ] Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I’m and American, with an Irish passport, living in London who as I write is currently on a cruise ship in the Bay of Bengal 500 nautical miles from Thailand.
Writing isn’t (yet) my day job.  My day job is entertaining.  I’m a magician/comedian and these days do a lot of work on cruise liners.  It’s a great job if you are a writer.  They cook and clean for you, the phone never rings and I only work two nights a week.  Yes it is as good as it sounds.

I’ve made it into my fifth decade without ever going bankrupt and I have a 21 year old son whose name you will find in the dedication page of my first novel – Shadowmagic.  I live in London with my exotic veterinarian girlfriend, (whose name is on the dedication page of my second novel – The Prince of Hazel & Oak) her 110 year-old tortious, a bearded dragon lizard, two rabbits and fish.

[FFQ] Can you share a little of your current work with us?

At the moment I’m working on a murder mystery set in the mountains of North Eastern Pennsylvania where my family had had a cottage by a lake since the 1950s.  I’m finding it a real challenge.  I thought writing about a place I knew so well would be easy but I think writing about places I make up is easier.

[FFQ] What challenges did you come across in getting your first book published?

I wrote Shadowmagic as an intellectual exercise.  I read an article that said if you write 1000 words a day you had to have a novel after seven months.  (The article went on to say it wouldn’t necessarily be a good novel.) I couldn’t fault the logic so I tried it.  I didn’t try very hard to get it published and it sat in a drawer while life made other plans for me.  Then I discovered the website www.podiobooks.com where authors read their works and an audiobook podcast.  It’s free to subscribe but the website solicits donations and gives the authors 75%.  I thought what the heck and podcasted it.

From the start the response was remarkable and I ended up the highest rated book on the website. That caught the attention of Harper Collins and they asked if they could publish the book.

[FFQ] Can you tell us about your upcoming book?

The Sons of Macha, is the third and last instalment of the Shadowmagic Series.  In it adversaries of the house of Duir, that were thought long gone, come back to predicate a war with the Banshees

[FFQ] Who designed the covers?

Liam Relph.

[FFQ] Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

If all of my fan’s write glowing reviews on their Facebook pages I can live in the manner I would like to be accustomed.

www.podiobooks.com
http://www.johnlenahan.com/

Author Interviews: Rose Caraway

By Jacob Donley

Rose Caraway is an Erotica writer and podcaster who I became aware of through networking channels. She is a talented author who definitely has a flair for the theatre, evident from her audio endeavours. I was looking forward to hearing her answers to the interview questions I sent. She’s full of energy and shows it in her answers.

[RC] Hello Jacob (my finely bearded friend) and Kayla! Thanks so very much for allowing me to interview for Fiction Features Monthly  magazine, what a privilege! And a big hello  to the rest of the world; this is Rose Caraway.

[FFM] Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

[RC] Sure. I’m the Writer/Voice/Co-Producer for “The Kiss Me Quick’s” podcast and also the Voice/Co-Producer/Story-Picker for “The Sexy Librarian” podcast. Both erotica podcasts are found usually hanging around in one of the top-ten spots in the iTunes Sexuality  category.
I keep active by working at a Martial Arts studio and am found throughout the week going toe-to-toe with the guys, or rolling around on the ground getting my Jujitsu on. When I’m not kickin’ ass or getting mine handed back to me, I am reading, writing and podcasting. Reading is my passion and writing is my dream.
My absolute favorite genres are horror and erotica. When I write, the two separate genres tend to blend and it is so much fun! My writing as I grew up stayed carefully tucked in journals and binders because I was afraid that someone would think I was insane. Really Rose, you want the devil to do that to you?
Only until a couple of years ago, with plenty of encouragement from my hubby, did I begin to appreciate that I wasn’t the only person who had such lurid thoughts. I mean, Stephen King wrote about a high school introvert discovering her period, being bullied by cool-girls and their flying tampons, then she’s covered in pig’s blood at her prom and kills half the student body and her own deranged mother! Ew! and Wow! To this day, Carrie is my favorite book of all time. And don’t even get me started about Pennywise eating innocent boy’s armpits in the sewers! “It” scared the shit out of me. The only thing lacking from King’s books for me was the lack of sex.
I am the oldest of four kids and both my parents worked. I was raised by numerous neighborhood babysitters until I was old enough to do the job myself. Like Anne Shirley, I lived in my head, 24/7.
I have listened to other erotica podcasts and found them fun, but too P.C. and, often times, childish. I loved reading Johanne Lindsey’s “Once a Princess”, but Jean M. Auel’s, “The Clan of The Cave Bear” series was more satisfying. I’m not bad-mouthing or criticizing other podcasts, please understand. In our minds, we think and imagine many things that we wouldn’t dare publicly admit to. Sex is so versatile, and I like to write about it with what I call, a “ POW! Right-in-the-solar-plexus-without-any-fear ” style. I don’t concern myself with worrying about whether or not I’m offending someone. My recipe for an entertaining erotica story is any combination of the following ingredients; fun, excitement, fright, kink and sometimes, a dash of taboo.

[FFM] Can you share a little of your current work with us?

[RC] Absolutely! Currently I am finishing up the next episode for “The Sexy Librarian” podcast; Kay Jaybee’s short story, Candy at Christmas , which is loaded with kinky fun and will be released this week for the holiday season.
The next episode for “The Kiss Me Quick’s” podcast is a two-part story called, Outland 1313 and will finally be released this month as well. It’s my first attempt at Sci-Fi and it is one erotic adventure all Lurid Listeners will love!
I have also gotten my e-book, Hypnotized  put into an audio format and it will be available to purchase in Audible soon. And for those listeners familiar with Eddie “The Auger” Harley, from the KMQ’s Suck the Line and Rim Jobs , I am currently putting the final edits together and will be releasing the novella, Tool  this month.
Aside from my own works, I have also put Michelle Fox’s e-book, Werewolf Ménage: Pack Justice  into audio format and it will be available in Audible in a couple of weeks. Devon Vaughn Archer has also contacted me and I am in the middle of putting his book, The Hitman’s Woman  into audio format as well!
I am so excited to be this busy and will be blasting announcements all over my Facebook, Twitter pages and of course on both podcasts when these upcoming projects are available! Woo!

[FFM] Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?

[RC] The hardest part for me personally was deciding which short story to go with and ended up looking at my download count. Most of the KMQ’s listeners seemed to enjoy Hypnotized best. Then it came to where to publish. Stupid Fish Productions took care of that. Having my own publishing company was loads easier and much faster than going through traditional publishers.


[FFM]Can you tell us about any upcoming books or projects?

[RC] Along with everything I mentioned earlier, I am also writing my first novel, Dirty Witch. This is Lexi Vohen’s story. Lexi is a character from the KMQ’s 4-part series called Succubus. Lexi is a feisty, petite farm-girl, full of high-jinks and she has a secret super-power. She is going to be rescued from her cruel father and shipped to a U.S. Army base in North Africa for testing. Completely out of her element, Lexi acclimates and learns to develop her power. But there is one problem. Colonel Grahm, who doesn’t want to babysit, won’t give Lexi his first name. It is against Grahm’s code. Lexi won’t have it. She aims to get under the stoic colonel’s skin any way she can so he will reveal his name. But Grahm has other problems. The sun-kissed skin and long golden hair that teases his calm are weakening his walls of protocol. And he is suspicious that the Army has secret plans for this free-spirited farm girl.

[FFM] Who designed the covers?

[RC] The cover art for my shows quickly became time consuming for me. So my hubby, who is also my silent co-producer, has a keen eye takes charge of all the beautiful artwork, of course with my suggestive input.

[FFM] Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

[RC] Yes. There are many talented and intelligent Erotica authors out there and along with my stories, I seek those writers and musicians that I feel the audience will love and want more from. Erotica is hitting the mainstream head-on and I am happy to be a part of it. And my success wouldn’t exist without an audience. Finding an audience is every artist’s goal. No matter how big or small, all of us want to reach someone that will share our love and passion. I hold my audience with a loving and protective hand. I adore them, for they allow me to continue doing what I have always dreamed of doing. So a big hug and kiss through this screen goes to each and every one of the folks out there that have even given me a single precious moment of their time.
XOXO
Rose

YouTube On Writing: The Story Board Episodes 1-7

Discovered by Jacob Donley

These videos are from geekandsundry, be sure to subscribe to them!

Book Reviews: A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson

By Jacob Donley

A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson

Robert Jordan’s final installment of The Wheel of Time series was released back in January. It was the culmination of his epic saga that finished with a bang, thanks to the help of Brandon Sanderson. A MEMORY OF LIGHT finished with bang. The endings for all the characters that we have followed for years were all wrapped up nice and tight. The book was drawn together in a neat bundle with exciting plot lines, characters, and paths that took unexpected and rewarding turns throughout. A MEMORY OF LIGHT was all that I could have expected for the ending of an epic so massive that it took twenty years to finish.

Fiction Features: Book Releases: January 2013

By Jacob Donley and Kayla Curry

BLESSED BY A DEMON’S MARK by E.S. Moore ebook release January 1, 2013
Amazon touts this book to be released, 12/31/2012, but I’m putting it in for the first of January, 2013 to start off the new year. So, if you are anxiously awaiting the arrival of this third installment in the Kat Redding Series, head to amazon on the 31st of December to grab, E.S. Moore’s BLESSED BY A DEMON’S MARK.

A MEMORY OF LIGHT by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson, January 8, 2013
The much anticipated final novel in The Wheel of Time series is almost here. Brandon Sanderson will conclude the series that was created by Robert Jordan before his passing in 2007. The many plot lines in this fantasy epic including Rand, Mat, and Perrin will be wrapped up in A MEMORY OF LIGHT. Rand's story will come to a close, but how will it end, with joy or sadness?

ICE FORGED by Gail Z. Martin ebook release January 8, 2013
The overwhelming ratings on Goodreads shows that Gail Z. Martin writes novels that keep an audience coming back for more. While reviewers tend to take issue with some under developed characters and lacking dialogue, there appears to be no lack of support. I intend to buy some of these novels to get firsthand knowledge. Check out her upcoming book, ICE FORGED, releasing on 01/08/2013.

SEVEN KINGS by John R. Fultz ebook releases January 15, 2013
After reading multiple reviews on the book SEVEN PRINCES, indicating that the story was predictable, I also found just as many reviews and comments stating that they loved the series and eagerly await the sequel. As it so happens, the sequel, SEVEN KINGS, will be available 01/15/2013.

THE KEY INHERITANCE by Jen McConnel releases January 15, 2013
 Ten years ago, a trip to Scotland taught Lou more about herself than she could have imagined. Now, at 36, she’s returned to the rainy land to settle accounts. She struggles to pick up the broken pieces of her life, and nothing is what she remembers. Something dark waits in Scotland for Lou, and this time, she’s not sure who to turn to. Lou must settle her own accounts before she can take on the malicious spirit who is targeting her family, but is she already too late? THE KEY INHERITANCE is a companion novella to THE BURNING OF ISOBEL KEY, continuing the story a decade later.

Fiction Features: What is Steampunk?

By Jacob Donley

Five years ago, I’d never heard of Steampunk. As the sub-genre has increased dramatically over the years, I've heard more and more, and all of it has been positive.. While listening to The Dead Robots' Society  podcast, in episode 175 with author Philippa (Pip) Ballantine  as a guest, the DRS crew talk with Pip about "What is Steam punk?" I have the book STEAMPUNK , edited by Ann and Jeff Vandermeer. I haven't been able to wrangle the time to sit down and read it quite yet, but while doing a homework assignment for school, I took the time to open a new tab on my browser and steer to one of her sites, The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences . One of the pages on the site leads you to one titled, What is Steampunk ? , which has all kinds of information for anyone who is interested in learning more about this genre of writing. I've always been interested in the ways that cultures are built, and it appears, according the website already mentioned, that a lot revolves around what if all of the devices that we enjoy today were powered by steam?  This includes airplanes, whatever they would look like if powered by some kind of steam engine, all the way down to a child's toy that in our society might run off batteries. That covers the steam portion in perhaps the broadest sense of the notion. To me, that is a great and interesting take on an amalgam of science fiction and fantasy. It's a steam powered world and the writer has control of the vent release mechanism. Brilliant!
 
But...where does the punk come into this equation? According to The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences  view on the "punk" in Steampunk, punk is going against the convention of that society’s norms. "That makes sense," you might say, but apparently, people have different views on this since the genres emerging popularity. It's becoming commercialized and much of the punk attitude that made it appealing in the first place is beginning to be washed out. In a sense, it is much the same as what happened to punk music as it became more popular. In the music scene, there is the "original punk" that arose in the late '70's and into the 80's and there is today's punk, which some bands were able to keep that edge of "going against THE MAN". However, a growing number of bands, many people believe, have gone commercial  and would be better labeled as pop-punk. Many original writers in the Steampunk movement have probably seen this and would like to label these writers into a different genre I like to call, Steampop. Of course that is my opinion as an outsider to the movement itself.
 
If you would like more information on Steampunk, I would recommend going to the "What is Steampunk?" link listed above.

Fiction Features: Wave Goodbye: Elves, Dwarves, and Orcs

By Jacob Donley

Creatures such as Elves, Dwarves, and Orcs have been popular characters and races since the dawn of the modern fantasy movement. When I mention these races, I mean Tolkien Elves, Dwarves, and Orcs. Tolkien began the era of these magnificent and sometimes terrible races. However, like any trope in any genre, they often enough become overused and begin to flood the genre. It is in times like these when they begin to fade and make their epic journey to Valinor or wherever they soon call home. It is becoming more and more visible that the races in the Tolkien tradition are making this journey.

Authors such as R.A. Salvatore have done an excellent job in reinventing the elves. The dark elves were a great addition to the fantasy genre, and characters like Drizz’t Do’Urden and Bruenor Battlehammer won’t soon be forgotten. However, other auhors like Patrick Rothfuss are using supernatural or other worldly creatures like those of the Fae that seem to be replacing the commonly seen races of the fantasy genre. Robert Jordan skipped the tradition altogether when he created Trollucs and (Ogere). Steven Erikson did the same thing, creating many new races with their own complicated politics, histories, and strange and powerful species-wide natures.

With all of these new races and elements in fantasy, it is no wonder that these more traditional fantasy races are no longer being used in such great numbers.  Their reign in the genre was a long and glorious one, but now it seems, that they must pass the torch on to their descendants, to the newcomers to the genre, much like those that came before them in the Pre-Tolkien era.

Author Interviews: Justin Macumber

By Jacob Donley

Justin Macumber is one of the three hosts and one of the original founders of the DEAD ROBOTS’ SOCIETY and a host on a film podcast THE HOLLYWOOD OUTSIDER. Justin is an author that I was fortunate enough to learn of his works while listening to the Dead Robots’ Society. He is a resident of the Dallas/Fort worth area of Texas where he lives with his wife and their loveable pack of dogs. Let’s get to know about him and his writing a little better.

[FFM] I know that you just moved, and that you live in Texas, but can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

[JM] I'm an Army brat, which means that while I'll always call Texas my home state, I actually grew up across a variety of different places, from here to Germany, and my wide-ranging nerddom is a direct result of all the different people I met and things I experienced. I've always felt a need to tell stories, but it wasn't until I was in my early twenties that I actually applied myself to writing, and even then it wasn’t until I hit my thirties that I took it seriously. Now, at 39 (40 in December), I have one novel published, another soon to come out, two more on my plate, and several short stories that have won awards and been published. Aside from writing, I'm also the creator and co-host of the Dead Robots' Society podcast, which is a podcast made by writers, for writers. We've been at it for a bit over five years, and so far people seem to like what we do.

[FFM] Can you share with us a little about your work that is already published and anything that you are currently working on?

[JM] My first novel, HAYWIRE, was published in March of this year by Gryphonwood Press. It is a science fiction story about nanotechnology, super soldiers, space pirates, and covert operatives. I'm pretty proud of it. I tried to make it feel epic and dazzling while also keeping the characters real and their world understandable. From the reviews it's gotten, I believe I achieved that. Soon my second book will be published. This one is titled A MINOR MAGIC, and it's coming from Crescent Moon Press. It's a post-apocalyptic urban fantasy about a girl who discovers she has magical powers. The short pitch is "It's Harry Potter meets The Road." Right now I have two books I'm working on. The first is STILL WATER, a horror novel about a West Virginia coal mining town and the evil they unleash. I've completed the first draft of it, but before I go back to it I need to finish the first draft of A BROKEN MAGIC, which is a sequel to AMM. I hadn't planned on putting STILL WATER off for so long, but Crescent Moon said they were interested in a sequel to AMM, so I knew I had to put my efforts there first. A bird in the hand and all that.

[FFM] Can you tell us about your upcoming book, A BROKEN MAGIC?

[JM] I wish I could, but revealing much on it would spoil A MINOR MAGIC. As I said earlier, AMM is post-apocalyptic, which means that it takes place in a world that has been ruined. Ten years before the book begins a magical fire is unleashed on Earth that burns most of our civilization to the ground and kills billions of people. Those that survive eek out what life they can. As the book opens, our protaganist Skylar discovers that she has magical powers. This isn't seen as a good thing by the family that has adopted her, so in the book she has to make her way across a burned America while she tries to discover who she really is and why the world burned. A BROKEN MAGIC picks up several months later. Skylar has learned a great deal, but there are still forces in the world that she must contend with, and if she wants to come out on top it's going to take all she has and more. I hope that makes you want to read both books. I wrote AMM for my niece, Aleena, who's thirteen years old. I wanted her to have a heroine who wasn't defined by the men in her life, and who was capable of saving herself. I really hope she likes it.

 
[FFM] Lots of authors have trouble when it comes to getting published. Can you tell us about any challenges that you may have faced in getting your first book published?

[JM] My biggest challenge was trusting the woman who was my agent for a time. I believed she had my best interests at heart, and that what she said represented the truth. After nearly a year of difficulty I learned that none of it was so. When the full truth came to light, I knew that if I was going to have a career in writing, I would have to take control of my destiny and make it happen. So I did. Within a couple of months I not only had a contract for HAYWIRE, but in that same weekend I also had a contract for A MINOR MAGIC. I went from nothing to two deals in almost no time, and all of it was because I took advantage of the contacts I'd made through my podcast and worked my butt off to get my work in front of the people who could help me achieve my dreams. Do I wish I could go back and undo the whole agent mess? No. It was a learning experience, and those are invaluable. Others can learn from it too. Trust, but verify. Also, the person who wants you to succeed the most is YOU, and in today's publishing world there are more roads than ever to success. Go make your dreams happen.

[FFM] In the works that you have had published, who has designed the covers for them?

[JM] HAYWIRE's cover was designed by my brother, Scott. One of the great things about a smaller press is that the author can have more control over the book, or at least more input. The publisher informed me that they could get a cover made, or if I had someone in mind they would let that happen, though with final approval. Scott had done covers for me previously (I still think his cover to my short story series THE TIES THAT BIND is his best work), and we work well together, so I knew he could make a great HAYWIRE cover. And he did. Starla Hutchton did the cover art for my short story PIRATES OF THE CRIMSON SAND, and I love the old space opera feel of it. As for A MINOR MAGIC, Crescent Moon is in charge of that one, and I haven't seen anything yet. My fingers are crossed.

[FFM] Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

[JM] If you read a story and enjoy it, please reach out to the author and let them know. Trust me, they enjoy hearing that, especially those of us who are more recently published. Writing can all too often be a lonely, solitary activity, but knowing that what we made brought some happiness to another makes it all worth it. So tell them. Send them an email, or post a Facebook message, or even send a tweet. It never goes unappreciated. And, if you're really feeling giving, go to Amazon and post a review. People often by books based on the opinions of others, and the more people say kind things about a book, the more likely someone else is to pick it up and perhaps love it too. I've had 50 people post reviews for HAYWIRE, which is quite a bit for a smaller press book, but I'd love 50 more. When I'm feeling down or alone, reading those positive reviews rejuvenates my spirit. So reach out, let that author know how you feel, and then let the world. And, thank you for reading. There are a lot of other things you could be doing, and reading seems to be falling out of fashion. Thanks for keeping up the tradition. We writers need you out there. Thank you so so much.
If you would like to contact Justin or just keep tabs on him about his podcasts or his writing, please use the links below. Checkout HAYWIRE and his other works while your at it:

Justin Macumber - Facebook
Justin Macumber - Amazon Author Page
http://www.justinmacumber.com/
http://deadrobotssociety.com/

Author Interviews: Terry Mixon

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Book Reviews: 14 by Peter Clines

By Jacob Donley

14 by Peter Clines

14 is a mystery adventure novel with a sci-fi twist. The mystery black-light in Nates new apartment would have been fine by itself, but as Nate begins to learn about all of the other mysteries his new apartment building has, it becomes his duty to come to the bottom of it.

Clines does a magnificent job of introducing a mystery and leading us along to its conclusion. I couldn’t wait to find out some new and strange quirk to the old building, and learning the reason behind the mystery seemed to bring on a thousand new questions that I needed answered. I don’t usually read this type of book, I’m usually a traditional fantasy reader, but this book is making me a fan of the urban fantasy/sci-fi or whatever genre it falls in exactly. It seemed to have elements that could put it one of 3 genres and none of them at the same time. It’s a great read that I full heartedly recommend.

Book Reviews: Legion by Brandon Sanderson

By Jacob Donley

LEGION by Brandon Sanderson

Stephen Leeds has some sort of mental condition that allows him to see and communicate with hallucinations. Each hallucination, or aspects as he calls them, have a particular skill that helps him to solve problems. In LEGION, a novella, Stephen is approached by woman who is after a missing inventor who created a camera of remarkable ability. Stephen accepts the case and begins to unravel the mystery behind the inventor and the camera’s disappearance, using his aspects to help him learn specialized knowledge and linguistics along the way.

I really enjoyed this read. I’m currently in a Master’s program for General Psychology, and this story brought up all kinds of questions having to do with his condition. Sanderson did a great job presenting interesting characters that kept me hooked into the story to its conclusion. This is a good story for anyone who is interested in a modern setting book with some fantastical or sci-fi elements.

Book Review: The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle

By Jacob Donley

THE MOTE IN GOD’S EYE  by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle

THE MOTE IN GOD’S EYE  is a science fiction novel written by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. The main premise of the story is the first contact of humans with a nonhuman alien civilization and all the problems, conflicts, and potential benefits that may come with that encounter. This first encounter comes in the future with technology that is far advanced to that which we have today and in a society that is centuries in the future in comparison to ours, where an Imperial Monarchy exists for humans in an interplanetary civilization.

While some science fiction creeps heavily on the fiction side when it comes to science, this novel does a good job of incorporating factual scientific theories into the story. Things such as how the 'Motes', the alien civilization, would have or could have evolved are presented in a scientifically plausible way. Also, though the drive and the shield technology talked about quite often in the novel are not explained, other things such as Trojan points, societal technology advancement, and how gravity can be simulated on space ships are quite accurate in theory.

Overall, the story, while slow at times and bogged down with periods of explanation, is quite riveting when it arrives at the Imperial politics, rebellion, interaction with the alien civilization, and sequences where naval officers are in a fight for their lives in space or trapped behind enemy lines. I would recommend this novel to any science fiction fan that wants a 'hard' sci-fi read.

Book Review: The Prince of Hazel and Oak by John Lenahan

By Jacob Donley

THE PRINCE OF HAZEL AND OAK by John Lenahan

I am a newcomer to the Shadowmagic  series. I found the audiobooks via podcast and instantly fell in love with the series from book one. I had to go out and buy the Kindle versions. THE PRINCE OF HAZEL AND OAK is the second book of the SHADOWMAGIC series. It takes place shortly after where the first book, the self titled book, SHADOWMAGIC, left off.

Conor having already had one adventure in Tir na Nog, the magical land of the ancient Celts, is arrested for the supposed death of his father who is currently in that magical land. He eventually goes off on another adventure in Tir na Nog to rescue his sick father.

This young adult book held up to my high opinion of the first book, and John Lenahan took me beyond my original expectations. This is a great book that brings in a unique fantasy perspective compared to other books that have brought in gods and magic to intermix with the real world. It was a great read that I expect anyone who enjoys Fantasy Young Adult will thoroughly enjoy.

Writing Tips: Podcasts for Writers

By Jacob Donley

I'm currently listening to a couple different podcasts right now, The Dead Robots' Society  and I Should Be Writing . Both shows give some great advice about writing, publishing, and marketing. One thing that I really like is that both shows have many episodes in which they interview authors, editors, or agents. You really get a great perspective on not only the craft of writing, but also, there is some great information about the publishing industry as a whole.

Another aspect of these shows comes in the way of networking. The hosts of the shows go to a collection of Cons (Conventions), such as DragonCon, WorldCon, BaltiCon, and many others. These are great places to meet other writers, editors, and to immerse yourself in the genre that you are interested in writing by going to panels and other events.

Podcasts are a great way to deliver information and even entertainment to the world. Using this type of platform for delivering information on the writing process, tips, brainstorming, and news has been wildly successful. Authors have begun to use the podcast method to release ‘podiobooks’ for free. This has proven to be a great marketing strategy in building a fan base.

I recommend that anyone who is interested in writing, whether for pleasure or profit, should check out these podcasts. Click on the links to go to their prospective websites for contact info and to download or subscribe to their podcasts.